Spin SPin Dizzy

“Al Rose, who is always impressive, brings his intelligent, funny, and sharp songs with the beautiful arrangements he consistently creates."

— Moors Magazine, Holland

“The Chicago eccentric’s seventh career album, Spin Spin Dizzy, was, as always, recorded with his band The Transcendos and working with producer Blaise Barton. He’s been developing these songs in coffeehouses and small clubs touring over half the world. He’s got taste and experience that translates into ten tunes showcasing his lyrical irony and playful metaphors that still resonate as personal. Musically it falls somewhere between folk and Americana but at times with a Sixties pop flavor- and even edgy, lively rock’n’roll. The band provides the necessary ebb and flow with these brilliant and curious compositions. And at the finish line is a highlighted string ensemble that was heard earlier as accompaniment on the disc."

— Roots Highway, Italy

“An album that cannot be called ordinary. Lyrics of a rare high standard. It’s difficult to define or pigeon-hole Rose’s music: blues, folk, rock, and jazz are all there in his songs- just not immediately recognizable which is which, and that’s part of the attraction. Add the profound lyrics and very special arrangements, Spin Spin Dizzy does not reveal all its secrets on the first listen."

— Keys And Chords, Belgium

“Spin Spin Dizzy seems to be the real deal. Offbeat and quirky. Roots-rock that comes from left field and takes unexpected directions. ‘Worse Came To Worse’ adds some funk and muscle and ‘Jubilation’s Grip’ is more intensely introspective."

— Rock'N'Reel, England

“Al Rose’s wayward folks veers out sharply from the corners but often in subtle ways. The title track can’t be put in the folk frame because of the instrumentation but it still feels right. This is a perfectly orchestrated album full of enchanting lyrics"

— Rootsville, Holland

“Brilliant, funny, and rocking heavy!"

— Ung Tro, Sweden

“The songwriter from Chicago navigates between blues, jazz, and country without denying the rock. Is that a sitar and spoons combo? A horn section with banjo? There’s more to discover past a first listening, especially when you delve into the lyrics. A musical bouquet!"

— Written In Music, Belgium

“Recommended for fans of quirky rock!"

— Muziekwereld, Holland

Sad GO Lucky

“This songwriter from Chicago could have invented winking. It's all suggested by the lyrics of 'Sad Go Lucky,' the design of the album, and the website. What makes it interesting is the faint smile that hides behind every line."

— Folker, Germany

“If Roine Stolt sang witty non-epic-length songs that asked "what the fuck?" he would probably sound a lot like Chicago-based singer-songwriter Al Rose on Sad Go Lucky. (Rose, in turn, reminds me of Warren Zevon.) Rose's folk-rock voice is weathered and wearied from two decades of lyrical inventiveness too smart for the mainstream, yet it is still beautiful — especially when spewing against Twitter ("How did I ever exist before I knew how much you piss?") and, indeed, the whole damn United States of America ("Purple mountain's mercury/From sea to oily sea/The amber waves have let me down")."

— Sea Of Tranquility, Belgium

"'Sad Go Lucky' once more reunites Rose with Grammy–winning producer Blaise Barton, who again shares knob–turning duties with Rose. Also back to provide capable backing on the project is Rose's size–shifting band — The Transcendos — still anchored by the artist's long–time collaborator, friend ,and bassist Steve Hashimoto. Current Transcendos include string instrumentalists Steve Doyle and Maury Smith, drummer Lance Helgeson and keyboardist Carter Luke. Guest musicians, including vocalist Sue Demel (of Sons of The Never Wrong) and pedal steel player Brian Wilkie, provide additional aural color to the project.

"Sad Go Lucky" is a stellar release from an artist who finds much acclaim abroad — often touring in Europe and Japan — yet remains largely under the radar in Chicago."

—Tom Lounges, Northwest Indiana Times

"The sixth album from the Chicago artist Al Rose is the best singer / songwriter album I've heard in a long time. That wonderful feeling when he finishes 'I Feel Like A Milion Dollars' with a real big band blowout is reason enough to repeatedly listen.

The quirky lyrics are reason enough to own your own copy so you can easily pick up the booklet and sings when the mood hits you. Lines like, 'I hear that you've got a new blog. You're tweeting about your new job. How you envy your daughter and you like drinking water and you bump up your eggs when you jog. How did I ever exist before I knew how much you pee? But your photo is hot on your profile. Honey, now come here and give us a kiss. '(from 'They Lowered The Bar Again') is both beautiful contemporary criticism and funny. This platter is full of similar stuff.

Did I mention that he sings very well, a bit parallel to Elvis Costello? Sad Go Lucky is a beautiful album."

"If you find that the singer/songwriters of today do little to put their finger on the pulse of time and do too much gazing at their own navels, then listen to Al Rose from Chicago. With his cynical but exceedingly cheerful album, Sad Go Lucky, he delivers raw, socially-critical songs- so tasty you'll be licking your fingers. Moreover, Rose sometimes has a hilarious sense of humor and he brings his songs beautifully wrapped in pretty Americana packages: sometimes bluesy, sometimes with a little more country, sometimes jazzier, or sometimes leaning against the rock, but it always hits. Highly recommended."

My First Posthumous Release

“With a mixture of irreverence and soul, this veteran singer-songwriter just gets better, funnier and more plaintively incisive with each release. His latest, 'My First Posthumous Release', mixes blues, country and rock influences with off-hand ease, while crafting indelible imagery. How, after all, can anyone resist a song that begins, ‘The X-rays were embarrassing’?"

"This is a record for people who like music. Not just roots music or country or pop or singer songwriter or chamber poetry hoedown breakdowns or anything else, but for people who actually like songs. And like geniuses. With funny phrasing."

—Roctober, Issue No. 45

"One of The Best Chicago Indie Releases of 2008. Perhaps in a different era, Rose would've been a fixture on the North Side folk circuit alongside John Prine and Steve Goodman. As it is, his sharply detailed, often wickedly witty songs easily shift among genre boundaries with luminously orchestrated arrangements. He's been doing it, and doing it well, for two decades."

Gravity of Crow

“Last year I made the mistake of proclaiming Ellen Rosner’s Count to 3 the masterpiece of the year in my March review. Then a month later I had to bite my tongue and make an identical statement about the Marvin Tate D-Settlement’s American Icons. By the time Strain Busy Sky’s Running with the Sun hit my ears I had to admit that I looked foolish. Al Rose’s new Gravity of Crow tempts me in the same way as Rosner, the D-Settlement, and S.B.S. and you’ll have to forgive my eagerness. But it’s all Rose’s fault.” Read the entire article…

— Vern Hester, Windy City Times, March 2003

“At his best, Rose writes intimate songs, bristling with sharp turns of phrase and a level of introspection that by itself would be worth venting accompanied by little more than an acoustic guitar. But Rose doesn’t stop here. Gravity Of Crow, his fourth album, sidesteps categorizations that might befall less ambitious singers: ‘folk,’ ‘pop,’ ‘Dylan wanna be.’ The arranging on Gravity is as ambitious as Rose’s lyricism, an orchestral country-blues that magnifies and dramatizes his wordplay: the dark comedy of ‘Shut,’ to the majestic chorus of ‘Egg Me On.’ Too many would-be poets treat sonics as an afterthought, but with Rose his language was music.”

— Greg Kot, Chicago Tribune, February 2003

“Like his idol, Bob Dylan, Rose is refreshingly literate in his approach. He has an engaging knack for linking words into phrases rife with imagery, allowing him to painting audio pictures which ride gently over subtle melodies.” Read the entire article…

— Tom Lounges, January 2003

“When you are Al Rose, you are going to tie […] things together and write (and arrange) songs that are going to stop listeners in their tracks. Rose does this on Gravity of Crow, his fourth disc.” Read the entire article…

— Paul Barile, chicagoartsandentertainment.com, January 2003

“Gravity is one of those discs that offers little sonic surprises with every listen. Whether it is the feathery texture of a woman’s harmony vocal or jangly acoustic guitar fills, producers Rose and Blaise Barton have assembled 13 beautiful soundscapes.” Read the entire article…

— Paul Barile, chicagoartsandentertainment.com, January 2003

“Listening to Al Rose is like standing in a huge gallery of abstract art. As you stare up at the paintings entitled, “Egg Me On”, “New Coat Of Paint”, and “Random Hollow Diesel Train”, you can’t help but wonder, “Am I the only one here who gets, or doesn’t get this?” Indeed, Al’s lyrics challenge description. So much of the joy is in following the words through frequent and mysterious twists and turn, brought masterfully together by Al’s unique and controlled voice. Throughout Gravity of Crow, Al shares his views on current and recurrent events with whimsy and imagery that occasionally dips intriguingly dark and cold. His powerful

and passionate singing is supported by fine arrangements and polished production techniques which include the use of woodwinds, strings and dobro. As good as he is on this latest project, he’s best caught live. You won’t be disappointed. This is sophisticated, provocative listening, the kind of tunes that prompt you to “Rustle up the Mighty-O’s, cuz’ there’s orange juice at the silhouette.” While I didn’t know it when I first drew the comparison between Al’s music and abstract art, he is an accomplished artist.”

— Singer Magazine, June 2003

“One of the best of the best in Chicagoland… Rose is an exceptional wordsmith, with a penchant for Bob Dylan imagery”

Pigeon's Throat

“A psychological analysis of Abraham Lincoln is not common subject matter for today’s singer-songwriters. Maybe a century ago, but not today. However, such is the strength of Rose’s songwriting that you are three minutes into digging the pop-blues vibe of ‘Lincoln’ before you realize it really is about Honest Abe. Al Rose is a sophisticated songwriter. He has an Elvis Costello-like vocal delivery and blends folk, jazz and country motifs into his multi-faceted sound. His powerful expression and intelligent writing draws in the listener with a hypnotist’s power. Rose’s backing band is The Transcendos and in that band is vocalist Laura Blye. Her gospel-tinged blues-based backing vocals add to the spell of ‘Pigeon’s Throat.’” [4 out of 5 rating]

— Tom "Tearaway" Schulte, Outsight Magazine, Detroit, March 4, 2000

“The third album from folk artist Al Rose is an intricate knot work of metaphors and lyrical turns of phrase. He paints each song with such depth sometimes the result leaves the listener a bit acrophobic. Other times he knows just the right point in which to ground us with pointedly simplistic lines such as the finishing words of ‘Metaphor’ where he reminds us that “sometimes a scar is just a scar.” He balances the complexity of his verse with unadorned melodies and the delivery of a spoken word artist. Read the entire article…

Naked In A Trailer

“As a singer/sewing machine, Al Rose counts his influences in all the major food groups…. Dylan, Neil Young, Lou Reed, writer Henry Miller, painters Chagall, Soutine… Coltrane… a good strong cup of coffee… a glass of wine… and raw and cooked garlic.” Read the entire article…

— Dominick A. Miserandino, The Celebrity Cafe.com, July 19, 1999

“Every once in a while, a folk artist takes a genuinely new viewpoint and carries it to its limits. Jim Infantino and Faith Soloway illustrate such integrity of vision. So does Al Rose. Let’s not invoke the name of every important new voice of the last 30 years; there’s no way of knowing if this guy is or wants to be the next Leonard Cohen, or whoever. Instead, here’s a look at Al Rose’s CD, Naked in a Trailer.” Read the entire article…

— Marilyn Rea Beyer, New England Folk Almanac Review, Winter 1998

“With his acoustic songcraft and love of wordplay, this veteran local performer might have been right at home in an Old Town coffeehouse, circa 1972. But Rose has far grander ambitions, and though they sometimes get the better of him, Naked In A Trailer is one audaciously entertaining ride. Rose sometimes overreaches with pseudo-poetic lyrics and too-busy arrangements, but he scores with moments of surreal insight and a bemused outsider’s wit. Oddly charming melodies emerge from a varied bed of settings, incorporating everything from gospel to progressive jazz.”

— Greg Kot, Chicago Tribune, Jan. 17, 1997

“In today’s “alternative” music scene, being different is about as mainstream as wearing Levis. As long as musicians are different in just the right way, they have a chance to make it to the top-ten charts, but this leaves little room for artists who are truly alternative, like Al Rose.” Read the entire article…

— Michael Maiese, Strong Coffee, Vol. VII No. 4-5, Jan. 1997

“Al Rose, the undisputed king of Chicago quirk, has taken a giant step forward on his second record, Naked In A Trailer. Surrealist visions abound while Rose’s backing band, The Transcendos, empathically match his slow, low, rise style. Uncompromising songcraft that haunts and goads, this record is filled with metaphors, signifiers and overt symbolism. On “Channel To Channel” the vapid, addictive evils of cable TV are described in frighteningly lurid terms. The personal crisis of a starving artist is laid bare on the title cut as he sings, “Could I make it as a tailor with a scissors and a cloth? Or will I be naked in a trailer with a gun inside my mouth.” While Rose’s lyrics demand serious attention and are always the focal point of his songs, the Transcendos’ organic, instrumental accompaniment is just too strong to be ignored. Heath Chappell on drums and Steve Hashimoto on bass are as fine a rhythm section as Chicago has to offer and the harmonies of Laura Blye are no less than angelic. Yes, Chicago’s visionary tractor man has tilled the songwriter’s soil and unleashed his idiosyncratic folka-rocka-boom on the innocent masses. Not a moment too soon, either.”

— Mitch Myers, Manhattan Mirror, August 1996

Information Overload

“Try to think of Jack Kerouac walking around with the original ‘On The Road’ manuscript on a 120-foot roll of typewriter paper under his arm. He marched from publisher to publisher and faced numerous rejections, aching and struggling to get his work printed somewhere. Kerouac’s was an uphill battle that must have seemed quite hopeless. Al Rose is in a somewhat similar position, at the mercy of booking agents, club owners and record companies that don’t appreciate his work as much as they should. Most of us aren’t interested in unknown artists until someone else notices them first. Nonconformity is never an easy sell until after it has been properly packaged.” Read the entire article…

— Mitch Myers, Manhattan Mirror, August 1995

Media Quotes

“With his Transcendos, Rose blurs musical boundaries while singing some of the sharpest, wittiest lyrics this side of Nas.”

— Greg Kot, Chicago Tribune

“Al Rose is certainly one of the best songwriters of his time…[Pigeon’s Throat is] an album that contains some of the finest instrumental, vocal, lyrical and original content that well deserves international attention.”

— Downeast Reviews

“...a platinum wordsmith who specializes in stacking realities one on top of another. His sublimely incoherent rant and roll sends images splattering like paint on a Jackson Pollack canvas.”

— Manhattan Mirror

“Overall, Naked is hypnotic, swelling and receding like the tide. It’s influenced by folk, jazz, psychedelic rock, blues, county, gospel, and music from the Far East, but it sounds like nothing else. Rose is a talent to watch.”

— Swing

“Naked In A Trailer is one audaciously entertaining ride. He scores with moments of surreal insight and a bemused outsider’s wit. Oddly charming melodies emerge from a varied bed of settings, incorporating everything from gospel to progressive jazz.”

— Chicago Tribune

“The lyric refuses to cohere into a simple sense, yet remains sensible. Rose can also support an extended voyage into the heart of his challenging musical and lyrical universe. His music is a strange, sometimes dissonant, melange of folk and rock, but the main attraction is his perverse talent for molding assemblages of twisted lyrical cliches into surprising new configurations.”

— Crossroads

“He once again proves himself a poet, creating strong images with meanings that are not literal. Trying to label the music leads only to furrowed brows and complexity. Rose knows well what it means for form to follow function.”

— Strong Coffee

“Rose has managed to keep true with his musical views. The tunes are very earthy, organic and, at times, hypnotic. There is a sense of darkness to all of Rose’s songs. But that’s what gives the music its charm.”

— Deseret News (Salt Lake City)

“...an irreverent stream of consciousness that plays off the rhythm of words as much as their meaning…”

— Chicago Tribune

“The tunes on this collection are engaging and fun, and illustrative of Rose’s quirky style of songwriting…off-kilter viewpoints, creatively delivered by Rose’s rough-and-tumble voice in a variety of musical styles ranging from rock and country to reggae and soul.”

“With a pungent, bemused view of the world that translates into some really great songs, Rose manages to convey the possibility of hope without denying the gritty reality of right now. And he’s groovy as hell; he’ll make you dance your pants off.”

— Chicago Magazine

“Rose’s imagination does not end with his lyrics…the arrangements on his songs are phenomenal.”

— River Cities Reader

“A funky, jazzy and rocking romp…this album is a blast…”

— Rock Central, Madison, Wisconsin

“[On] Information Overload Rose mixes the sounds of jazz, rock, and Latin and Caribbean rhythms. The result is simply mesmerizing.”

“If folkie Al Rose led a heavy metal band, he would truly be dangerous. Rose writes lyrics like a deranged mental patient wandering down the street spouting epithets that either fascinate passers-by or makes them recoil in horror.”